The new CCDEI bill is signed!

This spring, Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos, Governor Jay Inslee, and WFIS Executive Director Suzie Hanson celebrated the signing of the HB 1377 legislation, which expands the pool of providers who can offer cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion (CCDEI) clock hours that are mandatory for renewing teacher and administrator state certificates.

Two years ago, a law was passed that designated which clock hour providers were legally sanctioned to offer these specific clock hours. Private schools and supporting organizations were left off the list.

In 2024, WFIS worked with its partners to pass an amended bill, allowing private school groups to offer CCDEI training and credits for teachers to renew their certificates.

While there are already Cultural Competence Standards for CCDEI clock hours, the Professional Educators Standards Board is tasked with developing a system to approve the courses provided. The outlined year and a half for this process is too long, given the immediate need for many teachers to renew their credentials. In response, WFIS is actively working with PESB to expedite this timeline, demonstrating our commitment to finding a solution.

Read more here: WFIS Advocate Spring 2024